SimpleTalk: Embrace Your Strength

In the last 4-5 years weight rooms have seen a pretty big influx of females looking to do some serious damage. Soccer moms, college students, nurses, and even grandmothers are no longer limiting themselves to the pink 2lb. dumbbells in the cardio room. Rather, they’re rowing, squatting, and deadlifting more than many of the so-called “aspiring bodybuilder” guys around them. After reading this I bet your response (as with many ladies) is something like, “well those chicks must be big, monstrous, and bulky to lift those kinds of weights.” Honestly this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Take a look at these women who are proud to declare their avid use of heavy weights and I doubt you’ll qualify any of them as “big and bulky”.

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Don’t trip though. The idea that heavy weightlifting will result in an undesirable body type is a common misconception and unfortunately us guys aren’t helping. Yeah there are plenty of good dudes out there encouraging women to dominate in the gym, but for every one guy like this there are five more telling females:

“Don’t get too muscular. Guys don’t like a bulky woman.”
“Maybe you should focus on losing weight instead of lifting it.”

As a result of BS talk like this many women feel as if they should never leave the cardio room for fear of looking like The Rock if they touch a barbell.

As a man I apologize for my dumb counterparts. They have no clue what they’re talking about.

In reality weight training offers a plethora of physical and mental benefits for men and women alike. Do you need the physical strength to move a TV without having to call someone over? Weight training can help. Would you like the confidence to take on challenges at work or school that no one else will? Weight training can help. Do you want to continue being independent into old age by having strong bones and a body that can prevent and withstand falls? Weight training can help. With all of these benefits, on top of potentially looking like a demi-goddess, weight lifting should definitely become part any female’s exercise routine.

If you’d like more in-depth and detailed information on this subject check out the articles listed below. Embrace your strength!